International Journal of Educational Planning & Administration. ISSN 2249-3093 Volume 3, Number 1 (2013), pp. 25-33 © Research India Publications http://www.ripublication.com/ijepa.htm Problems Faced by Undergraduate and Diploma Students and their Survival Strategies in Nigeria: An Institutional Analysis V.F. Peretomode and A.N. Ugbomeh* Department of Educational Administration & Policy Studies, Faculty of Education, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria E-mail: vperetomode1@yahoo.com *Weekend Degree Programmes at the Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria ABSTRACT This research set out to identify and analyze the problems encountered by undergraduate and diploma Students of the Delta State University Abraka, Nigeria. A validated instrument with a test – retest reliability coefficient of 0.78 was used to elicit responses from 400 hundred undergraduate and 100 diploma students. The analysis of results revealed that both categories of students experience a myriad of problems from entry as fresh students until graduation and these problems affect their academic performance. Some of the most serious problems encountered included difficulty in the process for the payment of school fees, cumbersome screening and registration process, inadequate classrooms and seats, and lack of constant power supply. Sex was found to be a factor in determining problems encountered by students as female students encountered more problems than their male counterparts. It was recommended that the University management should make deliberate efforts to ameliorate the hardship associated with the payment of school fees, screening and registration for courses by ensuring these are done on-line long before school opens for any academic session. KEYWORDS Diploma students; higher education; nigeria; problems; survival strategies; undergraduate students; university management INTRODUCTION Education has long been recognized as a vital key to unlocking underdevelopment in Nations. It is the one major instrument for bringing about socio-political, economic, scientific and technological advancement of any country. This explains why most